This picture is actually from 2008 (I think)!
Homemade Dressing w/Giblet Gravy
(I certainly don't claim to be the only person who makes dressing like this - actually the credit is to every good Southern cook.....Big Mama's and my Grandmother Ligon's was very much like this.)
• Bake 1 skillet buttermilk cornbread (NOT JIFFY) – you can find frozen cornbread now. Make it thick!
I use white-self-rising cornmeal mix (Martha White is best) -- follow the baking instructions on the package.
• Bake homemade biscuits ( frozen ones are fine – you will need about 8 - 12 of them.) Not rolls and not bread - I think they make a "mushy" dressing.
• Allow the breads to cool (may make a week ahead). Place cornbread and biscuits in food processor (or crumble finely by hand). You need to have about 2/3 cornbread, 1/3 biscuit proportion.
• Place crumbs in LARGE bowl.
• Add 1 large onion and 3 or 4 stalks celery that have been processed in food processor until finely chopped – this is about 1 cup onion and 1 cup celery.
• Add 4 heaping Tablespoons canned rubbed sage. If using fresh sage use less. (You may want more or less depending on taste.) Add 1 teaspoon black pepper. You will not add salt until after the broth is added – It can be too salty.
• Stir all this together and let sit awhile before adding liquid.
• Add liquid *(chicken stock or broth) to mixture a quart at a time stirring well between additions. You will add more liquid as needed. The mixture needs to be “sloppy”. – allow time to sit and absorb liquid.
• Add 8 whole eggs – slightly beaten.
• Adjust salt, sage to taste
• Bake in a 9”X13”pan that has been lightly greased (or sprayed) You may have more - so just use another baking dish.
• Cook at 375 degrees until golden brown – probably 35 – 45 minutes
• Serve w/ giblet gravy
Giblet Gravy
I prefer to buy a nice size whole chicken to cook for my stock. Place rinsed chicken in a stockpot filled with water. Be sure to remove any giblets from neck and body cavity. Rinse these pieces – neck, liver, gizzard, etc. and add them to the pot. Add one onion that you have peeled and quartered as well as 2 or three stalks of celery cut in thirds. Add salt, pepper and a little parsley – bring to boil, then turn down and simmer until giblets are tender and chicken is beginning to fall off the bone. Cool.
• Remove chicken from pot – pull meat from bones and reserve – save the dark meat and some of the white meat to add to gravy. Cut up gizzard, liver, neck meat for gravy. (make chicken salad from the rest!)
• Strain remaining liquid to remove any bones, skin, etc.
• *This hot stock is what you will add to your dressing.
• Reserve at least 1 ½ quarts of the stock –
• In smaller sauce pan – add stock, chopped chicken you have reserved alone with some of the celery, onion from the stock pot.
• Mix 2 tablespoons flour with 1 cup cold water – blend until smooth. Add this to stock
• Bring to boil – add two eggs – one at a time. These are uncooked eggs that will “poach” when placed in the boiling broth. DO NOT STIR. When the eggs are fully cooked you may cut them up some.
• You may need to adjust seasoning and thickness. If gravy is too thin – repeat the thickening process – adding a little at a time. If it is too thick – add some water.
• ENJOY – CALL ME IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
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PERFECT ROAST TURKEY
Martha Stewart
1 20-21 pound fresh or freshly thawed turkey (giblets and neck removed and reserved)
1 1/2 (3 sticks) unsalted butter - plus 1/2 stick to rub on bird
1 750 ml bottle dry white wine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly gound pepper
Rinse turkey with cool water and dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for two hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a meduim bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover the breast and halfway down the sides of the turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up on a rack set in a heavy roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop up timer, remove it.
Fold the wing tips under. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside the turkey. Tie legs together loosly with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks if necessary. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing lightly into bowl. Reserve butter and wine mixture for basting. Lay the cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey - legs first - in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter/wine mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, cook - basting every 30 minutes for 2 1/2 hours more...cover with foil if browning too quickly.
After this third hour of cooking, discard cheesecloth, rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast , rotating pan half way through, until the skin is golden brown and a meat thermometer reads 180 in the thickest part of the thigh (about 1 more hour). Transfer to platter.
